


Moral Conflict

by tearoseglasses



Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 14:43:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20695253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearoseglasses/pseuds/tearoseglasses
Summary: The Hero doesn't feel very heroic and for a damn good reason. Talking always helps, though.





	Moral Conflict

She had to kill him. Right…? The book weighed heavy in her bag, blood splattered over her armor and still on her blade. The way the statue had crumbled… it had nearly crushed her. 

She stepped into Cloud ruler, immediately going to her room before anything else. She needed to get out of this. She stripped the armor, smearing blood on her hands before moving to a wash bin to remove it. She pulls on simple clothing, splashing water on her face before looking in a small mirror. She looks… empty. Not empty. Void. She turns to her blade, staring down at it before moving to her bag. She hesitates to pull out the book, but does. 

A knock nearly causes her to drop it. Martin opens the door, looking in. 

“Martin…? It's late. Why are you awake?” She sets the book down. He steps in fully. 

“I'm sorry, I just heard you come in. Are you okay?”

“I'm fine.” 

“You're lying.” 

"What makes you say that?"

"Your hands are shaking." He takes a step closer, pulling her hands up into his. "What happened?"

"I… she hesitates, biting her tongue. 

"Salena, please."

"It's… it's nothing." She pulls her hands away, holding them against her stomach. "You should go to sleep." She turns away from him. He watches her for a moment, frowning, before walking away. She sits down, pressing a hand against her mouth as a shaking sigh leaves her throat. A few tears fall and she let's them. This is all so much. She should be in Skyrim right now. Winterhold. Markarth. Not. Doing this. 

She whips around at a touch to her shoulder. "Martin-"

"Please." His voice is soft as he kneels down, hands holding her face. "Do not bury yourself." She lets him pull her into a hug, hands gripping his robes. He holds her as more tears fall. He helps her off the chair and onto the ground, holding her more easily. 

"What happened?"

"I… I killed someone." She pulls away from him. "Someone who I could have helped instead. And I should have help them." She looks down at her hands. Hands that once simply wrote reports and small books that were sold to scholars and mages. Now hands of a murderer. She blinks, eyes leaving red splatters in the brief darkness.

"In the cult?"

"They called me up to _ prove _ I was loyal. It was an Argonian. He barely had any scales left, I should have saved him. I should have turned around and killed them. I could have-"

"They were in numbers at would have overwhelmed you." 

"I still should have tried!"

"Salena, you would have been killed. Dagon is already looking for you. He knows that you know how to close his gates. He will want you out of the picture as much as me."

"I know. I just. I feel like I should have done better."

"I understand. I felt the same way once. It is better to speak these feelings then let them sit."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> A little thing because I felt extremely CONFLICTED during this bit in the game.


End file.
